Chili Contest

This is the first time I’ve entered an online contest (and probably the last) but after it got going, I decided I really did want to win…only I didn’t realize at first how much of the winning depended on the visits and votes.

Denver Green Chili smothering a burrito.

I’m up against stiff competition – If you’d like to vote for my Classic Green Chili, and can do so in good conscience, the voting box is on the right of the page on Ranting Chef. You click on the appropriate radial button and then click on vote. The results are surprising (to me, at least!) and I’ve fallen behind in the polling! It’s not easy being Green! You’ll see my recipe there, but if you’d like to click on my Green Chili post here to see all the ways I use it, please do. 🙂

AJ of Chili 365 has been brutal competition – we see-sawed back and forth and now he’s solidly in the lead. I may regret going to his blog and trash talking him – how can you go wrong with Chicken Chili made with beer served with cheese-curds and fries? I’ll be making this, but waiting for my child number 2 to help out with the eating!

I’m a pretty new follower of AJ – he has to have the funniest blog on food I’ve ever read and has been subjecting his family to chili every day for a year…he refers to them as the ITP, the involuntary testing panel. They must love him dearly…or else he has them holed up in the barn under lock and key. We may never know which.

AJ’s Chicken Chili Poutine

Heather, from Urban Suburan Woman (I’ve been a follower of hers for sometime, now) has a five ingredients Chili Verde done in the crockpot. I’m guessing this is fire-house hot with all those jalapenos! She shows it served over taco chips as a kind of cheesy nacho spread. Gluten free, too!

Heather’s Chili Verde

The dark horse of the race, and the chili I was most afraid of is Teresa with her Traditional Chili. I’m not sure why she hasn’t garnered more votes as there’s nothing I like more than a simple bowl o’ red (unless it’s my green) and I make a chili quite a bit like this. I didn’t think my Green would stand a chance against hers. Teresa isn’t just about food, her blog is A Bookie and a Foodie, so I can imagine her tucked into a book while she’s tucking into her chili!

I saw where AJ won, my condolences. I know what it feels like to get caught up in the fevered pitch of wanting to win. I also know how difficult it is to take that crown with a lesser known style of chili. My biggest complaint in my last cook off was that there was no separation of green and red entries for the amateur division , but there was in prior cook offs and for the ICS entrants that day. (International Chili Society) However it does point towards your valiant effort at a close race and that cannot be taken from you. 😉

I didn’t get to see the final count or any votes that came in during the am – but it was an interesting experience! Of course – no actual tasting! Which is weird!

On the plus side, a LOT of people know about green chili that probably didn’t before – it really is one of the foods I love most in this world! ‘And I think a lot of people got introduced to some great food bloggers!

Green and red – they really are two separate kinds of Chili! I will have to check out the ICS – who knows, maybe some day I’ll go for the big leagues!

You are welcome! I don’t compete in ICS but enjoy the amateurs. It is exciting to see different spins on what chili should be. I discovered AJ and you, Frau, through this round of voting. So, I think I won 😉
And yes, I have had many people try chili verde for their first time, and walk away with a new respect for chili and the knowledge of why it is green. You’ll have to make a batch and roast your peppers and tomatillos just to experience for yourself the difference in color and flavor. Bob

Bob, I have roasted my peppers (and tomatillos) before – I lived in the Southwest for about 23 years or so – but am in MN now and fresh chilis are much harder to come by.

When friends visit from Colorado I’ve been lucky in that they have brought me Roasted Chilis from the street vendors there! They set up big mesh barrels and just keep turning them over the fire as the chili roasts! Of course, MN has its own specialties and perks…just not much in the way of Chili! 🙂